Jared Diamond, the author of Guns, Germs and Steel, began his research over thirty years ago. Diamond is a biologist by profession, but his real interest lies in bird watching. It is because of this that Diamond traveled to Papa New Guinea. It was there that Diamond was presented with the question that spurred his research. A New Guinean named Yali, asked Diamond “Why you white man have so much cargo and we New Guineans so little?” This question was one that Diamond was unable to answer right away, although he figured it would not be too difficult to figure out. Through his years of research, Diamond claims that race has nothing to do with prosperity, but that it is ultimately agriculture and geography. He makes several points throughout the book to support this claim. When Diamond started his research to the understanding of inequality amongst civilizations, he came to the conclusion that he needed to begin thirteen thousand years ago, back into prehistoric times when all humans were equal. The Middle East was where Diamond noticed the factors that would come into play when forming a civilization. History shows that all the different cultures began as hunters and gatherers. This caused a constant nomadic way of life. This nomadic way of living was due to the fact that they had to continuously move to wherever there were animals to hunt or plants to gather. The animal movements were attributed to the change in seasons, thus the nomads were forced to follow the cycle of migration in order to prevent starvation from lack of animals and plant life. Over time, hunting became a major epidemic because as the civilizations became more populated; fewer animals were available to hunt. Although gathering was more productive, it was unable to provide them with enough nutrition in most cases to live off of. This would eventually lead to diversity amongst civilizations due to their geographic locations. Thus resulting in two very different ways of life.

The diversity between the Highlands of New Guinea and the Middle East became more profound when the civilizations living in the Middle East encountered a territorial downfall caused by an ice age. This enhanced the issues they were already facing every day which resulted in communities having to endure longer days trying to find sufficient resources to feed them. Contrarily, in New Guinea, they never experienced as much temporal adversities which would explain why they were never forced to change their way of life as hunters and gatherers. Meanwhile, the difficulties of the civilizations in the Middle East forced them to generate new, more efficient ways of survival. Amidst the harsh climates and famine they were dealing with due to the environmental changes from the ice age, the civilizations in the Middle East were able to establish new proficient ways of producing food. One of their earliest inventions was granaries. This gave them a place to store all the grains, which they produced year round. It also created a shield to keep the grains out of the harsh seasonal changes and gave protection from insects which would result in longer lasting crops. This development often raises the question how were they able to produce so much crops in order to fill these granaries? It was thought by some that at this point they were choosing to settle in any location as long as water was near-by. In doing this, it allowed them to begin cultivating their own crops. As an alternative to constantly moving place to place in search of food, they began planting their own crops in close proximity to their villages. Throughout the process of planting and harvesting, they began choosing the profitable crops out of the entire harvest. By targeting the crops that were the most beneficial to them, they were breaking new boundaries in agriculture called domestication without realizing it. Through the accidental formation of domestication, humans were beginning to manipulate nature in ways that would be...

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...famous for crafting. When it became the capital of Byzantine Empire, Constantinople became even more advanced. Also, when silk from China traded in Constantinople. Constantinople is the only city or region that mastered the technology. As a result, the silk industry in Constantinople became even more important due to its percentage in market.
Tensions between Byzantine and Western European States: Most conflicts between Byzantine Empire with Western European States were about religion and politics. Western states often declare their imperial authority to Europe, which was challenging Byzantine Empire.
The Early Byzantine State: Byzantium was just a fishing village back then. As Western Roman Empire been attacked, Constantine the Great moved the capital from Rome to Byzantium because of its strategic location that trades were still functioning and more protected.
Justinian’s Code: The code was a more comprehensive vision of Roman law. The code was designed for every-day citizens therefore it has been called the civil law. Justinian’s code was considered the base of all modern laws. Also, the code state the authority of Christianity in Byzantine Empire.
Decline of the Free Peasantry: As Byzantine Empire entered an age of peace. Byzantine Empire was stabilized. However, greedy nobles look upon peasant’s land. Although government tried to stop nobles from gaining too much land. Nobles still built huge estates that transformed...

...Free-ResponseQuestionsfrom Past AP Exams
1999:
1. Is Congress effective in exercising legislative oversight of the federal bureaucracy? Support your answer by doing ONE of the following:
a. Explain two specific methods Congress uses to exercise effective oversight of the federal bureaucracy.
OR
b. Give two specific explanations for the failure of Congress to exercise effective oversight of the federal bureaucracy.
2000:
1. The Constitution was an attempt to address problems of decentralization that were experienced under the Articles of Confederation.
a. List three problems of decentralized power that existed under the Articles of Confederation. For each problem you listed, identify one solution that the Constitution provided to address the problem.
b. Some have argued that the tensions between decentralized and centralized power continue to exist. Support this argument by explaining how one of the following illustrates the continuing tension:
• Environmental policy
• Gun control
• Disability access
2. The Supreme Court is commonly thought to be “above politics.” However, one can argue that the appointment of Supreme Court justices is political.
a. Identify three characteristics of Supreme Court nominees and discuss how each characteristic has been politically relevant during the appointment process.
b. Identify two methods that have been used by interest groups to influence the appointment process....

...
Seven Up (Bruce)
During the documentary, many of the fundamental concepts of development over the lifespan were displayed. Out of the “seven up” group I decided to focus on Bruce. Although the group of seven came from a very diverse socioeconomic background they are all British. I was particularly interested in how Bruce would turn out, in regards to his influences of culture, class, socioeconomic status, personal attributes, and available role models.
In the Bruce’s background I observed that he seemed to be a little better off than the others in the group of seven. I say this because his family sent him off to a boarding school. Boarding schools can be rather expensive relative to the institution. They are also a little stricter in disciple and learning, with a very robust discipline system. As far as socioeconomic class, I believe Bruce may have a better chance at succeeding because, according to our Human development book, “High socioeconomic status is an important predictor of academic success, according to a study…”. One of Bruce’s main sources for influence is his boarding school environment. Bruce states, “I think discipline is fair enough” which contradicts what the film says about the average 7 year not thinking too much or not understanding discipline. The film also says, “This distinction between freedom and discipline is the key to their whole future”.
It’s hard for me to make a creative prediction about...

...﻿Comparison Chart and ResponseQuestions
Use textual support from the poems and your reading in this lesson to fill in the left and right columns of the chart for both poems.
"Song—To the Men of England"
"Land of Hope and Glory"
Iambic tetrameter
AABB
Meter (Iambic pentameter, Iambic hexameter, for example)
Rhyme scheme (use letters to identify the pattern)
Iambic hexameter and Iambic tetrameter
ABABCDCD
“Wherefore, Bees of England forge”
“Trace your grave and build your tomb”
“For the lords who lay ye low?”
Poetic Devices:
Metaphor
Imagery (vivid language describing the five senses)
Hyperbole (exaggeration to support a point)
England is described as “Mother of the Free” and become ”mightier yet” in the first stanza
“As Ocean large and wide”
“Thy fame is ancient as the days”
“Wherefore weave with toil and care the rich robes your tyrants wear?”
Dominant Words and Phrases
“Thine Empire shall be strong.
Thy fame is ancient as the days”
Don’t let the upper class oppress you
Theme (author’s message)
Already made it or achieved the goals but there are incredibly more to come and to achieve
In the 17th century to the 19th century, social system had dominated England. Land ownership and lineage determined people’s class ranking (high and low class). They lacked a middle-class until the 1800s.
Historical Connections
England’s empire has grown and because of it it’s strong. In the 10th century, England was a struggling...

...AP® HUMAN GEOGRAPHY 2011 SCORING GUIDELINES
Question 3
Industrial location models are used to explain geographic patterns of economic activity. The maps above show automobile factories built before and after 1986 in the United States. Part A (2 points) Identify TWO changes in the geography of automobile factory construction shown by the maps. 1. International-based change in the geography of plant construction a. Increase in the number/investment of foreign-owned automobile plants OR b. Increase in both small and especially larger-size, foreign-owned automobile plants Note: Students cannot earn 2 points for listing two international-based changes. 2. Domestic-based change in the geography of plant construction a. Increase in the number/investment of automobile plants in the South or Southeast part (Sun Belt) of the United States b. Increase in number/investment of automobile plants built away from the traditional core of the American manufacturing belt (Rust Belt) c. Decrease in the number of American-owned automobile plants d. Decrease in the number/investment of automobile plants west of the Mississippi River Notes • Students cannot earn credit by simply counting the change in number of plants per state. • Students may earn 2 points for identifying TWO domestic-based changes. Part B (4 points) Identify and explain TWO factors related to industrial location that may have contributed to the changes. Identification (1 point each) 1. Low-cost...

...
UpFrom Slavery
UpFrom Slavery is a biography that discusses the progression of the life of Booker T. Washington. He was a slave on a plantation in Virginia until he was nine years old. His mother was the plantation cook so they lived in the kitchen. It had no windows, a door that teetered on uneven hinges, and large cracks in the walls that let in the chilling air in the winter and the humidity in the summer. His autobiography offers readers a glance into his life as a young child. Simple pleasures, such as sleeping in a bed, eating with a fork, and wearing comfortable clothing were was unavailable to Washington and his family. His glimpse into a schoolhouse was all it took to make him long for a chance to study and learn.
UpFrom Slavery portrays the life of Booker T. Washington, which was ridden with much hardship including financial instability, lack of a father figure, and assets that we often take for granted.
One day while at work, Booker overheard two men talking about a school for colored people opening up in Virginia. He learned that not only was the school established, but opportunities were also provided to work out the cost of board and at the same time, the student would be taught a trade or some industry. It seemed to him to be the greatest place on earth and he determined to go to the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia. To continue...

...﻿Melissa Acevedo
EN 272
Book Analysis
UpFrom Slavery: An autobiography on disregarding your own race?
Upfrom Slavery is the 1901 autobiography of Booker T. Washington chronicling over fifty years of his personal experiences. It starts from working to rise from the position of a slave child during the Civil War, to the difficulties and obstacles he overcame to get an education at the new Hampton University. It also explores his work establishing vocational schools—most notably the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama—to help black people and other disadvantaged minorities learn useful, marketable skills and work to pull themselves, as a race, up. He reflects on the generosity of both teachers and philanthropists who helped in educating blacks. In this text, Washington climbs the social ladder through hard, manual labor, a decent education, and relationships with great people. Booker tells the story from a different perspective - what life was like growing up as a free man. In this autobiography of his life, Washington’s generalizations and accommodations of the treatment and disregard for the African American by people of the White race was nonchalant, as though he felt that for some reason it was okay or necessary for African Americans to be treated as second-class.
During his lifetime, Booker T. Washington was a national leader for the African...

...Case 9.1: No Responsefrom Monitor 23 (assignment source article).
LOUDSPEAKER: IGNITION MINUS 45 MINUTES...
Paul Keller tripped the sequence switches at control monitor 23 in accordance with the countdown instruction just to his left. All hydraulic systems were functioniing normally in the second stage of the spacecraft booster point 1 minus 45. Keller automatically snapped master control switch to GREEN and knew that his electronic impulse along with hundreds of others from similar consoles within the Cape Canaveral complex signaled continuation of the countdown.
Free momentarily from data input, Keller leaned back in his chair, stretched his arms above his head, and then rubbed the back of his neck. The monitor lights on console 23 glowed routinely.
It used to be an incredible challenge, fantastically interesting work at the very fringe of man's knowledge about hmself and his universe. Keller recalled his first day in Brevard County, Florida, with his wife and young daughter. How happy they were that day. Here was the future, the good life... forever. And Keller was going to be part of that fantastic, utopian future.
LOUDSPEAKER: IGNITION MINUS 35 MINUTES...
Keller panicked! His mind had wandered momentarily, and he lost his place in the countdown instructions. Seconds later he found the correct place and tripped the proper sequence of switches for checkpoint 1 minus 35. No problem. Keller snapped master...